Rural crime affects the lifestyle and financial well being of those who work and reside in our rural communities. Theft and malicious damage to livestock and equipment costs farmers millions of dollars annually in revenue and loss of productivity.
Two things necessary for a crime to occur include a suitable or attractive target and the opportunity to carry out the crime without being detected.
Suitable targets
Farmhouses have just as many items that are attractive to thieves as do urban houses. Farms now have many more pieces of machinery, tools and equipment along with pesticides, and valuable produce that are of interest to thieves.
Opportunity
The isolation of many rural areas, the ease of access to most properties and the portable nature of livestock and equipment means farms are inciting opportunity for thieves, vandals and other criminals.
Since transport systems have improved the opportunity has also increased. Therefore most rural properties are now easily accessible, and owners are often taking advantage of easier trips to the major urban centres, thus their homes are often vacant and more vulnerable. Another factor is that country people have enjoyed relatively crime free living in their area. Country people can no longer afford to be casual about security, but can do many things to improve it.
The basic philosophy of crime prevention is to lessen the opportunity. Rural people can reduce crime by taking responsibility to secure their own property and being alert to suspicious activity in their neighbourhood and reporting it. Every action to prevent crime contirbutes to greater security.
Use your judgement
Farm crime prevention requires judgement. Not every crime prevention practice is need on every farm, your judgement is the best. You work out how much and what type of security you need to avoid the loss, inconvenience and anxiety associated with rural crime .